Welcome to Evidence Base

If you’re looking for a beacon of reason amid the storm of unsubstantiated opinion, read on

Let me nail my colors to the mast: Once upon a time, I was a scientist. And I’ve been a science journalist for longer than I care to remember. So is this a column about science? Well, yes and no.

I won’t be chronicling new discoveries about genes, planets or the brain. Lots of talented writers already do a fine job with that. But science is more than the accumulation of knowledge—it’s a method for gaining understanding about the world around us. And in today’s complex, interconnected and often confusing world, we need all the understanding we can get.

At Evidence Base, no topic is off limits, so long as it can be scrutinized using the methods of science. Poverty, energy supplies, political campaigns, criminal justice—it’s all fair game. Bring a skeptical mind as we test hypotheses by sifting the data, and examine what the available research has to say. Rigorous research, though—evidence is about quality, not just quantity.

If the media’s “talking heads” are talking out of another part of their anatomy, Evidence Base may step in with a reality check. But it won’t be “just the facts.” This is a column, and I’ll share my opinions, based on what the evidence has to say.

As I’ve long said to anyone who will listen: I want to live in an evidence-based world. If you do, too, make this your base — or at least a haven in which to recharge on reason.

Then go out to face the world. Who knows? Maybe you can change it.

Comments are welcome. Want to suggest a topic that’s crying out for the Evidence Base treatment? If so, email me at evidence@peteraldhous.com.

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